Dogwoods = Spring

As I was driving to meet my sister Sharon for a day of thrift shopping, I searched for a blooming dogwood tree that was close enough to the road so that I could reach it if I stopped for a closer look.


Okay, I confess.  I've been wanting a piece of dogwood for my home, to put in a vase and enjoy until the blooms fade.  You have to be careful how you go about this, though.

You can't just climb a fence and help yourself to branches from a tree.  Someone owns that tree on the other side of the fence, and well, here in Texas, you might have a dog come after you, or worse, get shot for trespassing.
(But that rarely happens any more.)


I saw the tree about halfway to my destination this morning and made a mental note of its location so I could take a look at it on my return trip.

We had a good day thrifting (I might share my finds later), and on my way home I remembered to find that tree.  Sure enough, there it was, so I pulled over and grabbed my phone to snap some pictures before breaking off a piece.


Wouldn't you know it, all of a sudden there was enough traffic for an interstate highway.  I'm not sure if I was breaking any law by taking a piece of a branch hanging over into the public right-of-way, but I didn't want to offend any tree huggers who might be passing by.

So I just snapped away.  Suddenly one of the cars turned around in the road and came roaring onto the side of the road behind my car.  I didn't know what to think.  Should I feel threatened, or was this person wanting to take pictures, too?

It turned out to be a friendly older gentleman who informed me that if I wanted to see a pretty dogwood in full bloom I should take the next right turn, drive down two miles past the country store and behold the huge dogwood on the right.  How sweet for him to take the time to let me know!


I thanked him and took him up on the suggestion.  I took the next right, drove past the country store, and there it was in all its glory:  the prettiest dogwood I have seen so far this year.
I thought I would share it with you here.


And yes, I did break off a piece of one of the low-hanging branches.  Just a piece!  It didn't hurt the tree much at all, and I have a lovely milk bottle vase that shows it off quite well.

What do you think?

 By the way, the dogwood tree is supposedly the tree chosen by the Romans to crucify Jesus upon.  Read the Legend of the Dogwood Tree here.

Happy Spring, y'all!

 XOXO

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